Healing

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 268 pages
• Published by: Ave Maria Press; Anv edition March 1999
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0877936765
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0877936763
• Book Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Weighs: 11.2 ounces

Product Review
'A classic and foundational book on healing, it offers a comprehensive look into the history and effects of worldviews on healing ! I received practical insights into how to pray for the sick.' -- John Wimber --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
Does healing happen today? Why is there prejudice against the healing ministry? Why are some people not healed? These topical and vital questions are just some of the issues addressed by Francis MacNutt in Healing. A wide-ranging and broad-based overview, it is essential reading for all involved in the healing ministry. 'Prayer for healing is so central to the gospel,' writes MacNutt, 'that it should be an integral part of the life of every community of believers. My heart cries out to see it restored to the place it had in the early Christian church.' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Reader Reviews
Simply stated, "Healing" by Francis MacNutt may be the best work on healing through prayer ever written. The book includes an overview of the history of praying for healing in Christianity. That in itself is worth the price of the book. He traces how healing began as a central obligation of early Christian communities, but when Christianity became legal under Constantine, many of the precepts of pagan Roman society, such as those advocated by stoics, which deemed suffering as redemptive, infiltrated Christian theology and practice. People prayed less and less for healing as time progressed and saw their suffering as something they should endure without questions, for redemptive reasons. Also the role of the laity changed much once Christianity became legalized. Priests became more powerful and certain practices that were once considered the responsibility of all, such as praying for the sick (which is handed down in the Catholic tradition as the anointing of the sick) were no longer responsibilities that any Christian should perform, but relegated to those ordained. MacNutt's book includes many personal testimonies of people who were healed through services at which he participated. Some of the stories come from letters. Some of the stories are his personal experiences and situations that he witnessed. All areas of healing are included: inner healings from emotional wounds, physical healings and deliverance is also a topic the book covers. The book includes sample prayers used from various Christian faiths, or elements that should be incorporated into prayers, if the reader has an aversion for formal prayers. Any person may pray for healings, but the book believes as the Bible states, that healing is a gift given by the Holy Spirit and some people may be more effective in their prayers than others. And while healing may occur through prayer alone, the book does not recommend avoiding medical resources available to assist people's health and recovery because these too are gifts we are given and should use. It is true too, that some times illness does have a purpose in life, and that healing is not always God's will for every occasion. The book also offers guidelines for starting a healing ministry and assembling a team. The book looks at the way different beliefs in Christianity heal those who have faith in them. It does not say that one belief is more powerful than another, but the key element is faith in God's ability to work through venues. One of my favorite topics covered in the book is on sacraments; how different Christians believe in the validity of different sacraments, and MacNutt presents stories of how people are healed through each of them: baptism, confession, communion and anointing of the sick are the major heavy weights. MacNutt was ordained and worked as a Catholic priest for many years, but he also worked with Christian ministers who specialized in healing from other churches, such as the late Rev. Tommy Tyson and Agnes Sanford. This is a great book for rejuvenating faith in prayer and an empowering read. I highly recommend it to any one looking for ways to deepen their prayer life, and particularly for those seeking confidence and guideline in how to help others through prayer. It revolutionized my perception of prayer groups; before MacNutt's book I believed that such groups were the perogative of fringe elements of Christianity, and now I feel more obligated and confident in praying for others. Thank you Francis MacNutt!